Language/Georgian/Grammar/How-to-Use-Be
Hi Georgian learners! ๐
In this lesson, we will focus on one of the most essential and frequently used verbs in Georgian, "be". We will learn how to use this verb in various tenses and forms. Additionally, we will explore some interesting cultural insights about the Georgian language. Don't forget to practice the examples and exercises at the end of the lesson! Let's get started! ๐
Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: The Genitive Case & Gender.
What is the Verb "Be" in Georgian?[edit | edit source]
The verb "be" in Georgian is แแ แแก (aris). In Georgian, there is no equivalent of the verb "to be" as in English. Instead, the verb is inflected to match the person, number, tense, and mood of the sentence. Georgian verbs are highly inflected, meaning that they undergo significant changes to indicate different grammatical features. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the forms of verbs when learning Georgian grammar.
Here are the present tense forms of the verb "be":
| Person | Singular Form | Plural Form | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Person | แแ แแแ (me var) | แฉแแแ แแแ แ (chven var't) | I am / We are |
| 2nd Person | แจแแ แฎแแ (shen khar) | แแฅแแแ แฎแแ แ (tkven khar't) | You are / You all are |
| 3rd Person | แแก แแ แแก (is aris) | แแกแแแ แแ แแแ (isini aria'n) | He/She/It is / They are |
Note that the verb "be" in Georgian does not change its form for gender. It stays the same for all genders.
Let's see some examples in context:
- Person 1: แแ แแแ แฅแแ แแฃแแ. (Me var kartuli.)
- Person 2: แแแช. (Mec.)
- Translation: Person 1: "I am Georgian." Person 2: "Me too."
- Person 1: แจแแ แฎแแ แจแแ? (Shen khar shen?)
- Person 2: แแ, แแ แแแ . (Ki, me var.)
- Translation: Person 1: "Are you you?" Person 2: "Yes, I am."
- Person 1: แแแแก แแ แแ แแก แแแ แแแก. (Amas araris varebs.)
- Person 2: แแแแ แแ แแกแแ แฉแแแ แแจแแแ แ แแแแ แแแแแแขแแ แ. (Magram isia chemi ashkara improvizatori.)
- Translation: Person 1: "This is not working." Person 2: "But it's my backup improvisation."
The Verb "Be" in Past and Future Tenses[edit | edit source]
Like in English, the verb "be" in Georgian also has past and future tenses. Here are the forms:
| Tense | Singular Form | Plural Form | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Past | แแ แแแงแ (me viqo) | แฉแแแ แแแงแแ (chven viqot) | I was / We were |
| Future | แแ แแแฅแแแ (me vik'nat) | แฉแแแ แแแฅแแแ (chven vik'nat) | I will be / We will be |
Let's see some examples in context:
- Person 1: แแแแ แแ แแชแแแแแ. (Giorgi ec'adeba.)
- Person 2: แแก แแแแแแ, แ แแ แแก แคแแฎแแฃแ แแ แแแแแแจแแแก? (Es gindat, rom is p'exburthi it'amshebs?)
- Person 1: แแ แ, แแก แแแงแ แแแจแแ. (Ara, is viqo mashin.)
- Translation: Person 1: "Giorgi was trying." Person 2: "Do you want him to play soccer?" Person 1: "No, he was."
- Person 1: แแแแแแ แแแ. (Daak'argeb.)
- Person 2: แ แแก? (Ras?)
- Person 1: แแ แแแฅแแแ แฃแคแ แ แแแแแแฆแแ แแแแก. (Me vik'nat upro gamiz'vrebas.)
- Translation: Person 1: "I will be more specific." Person 2: "About what?" Person 1: "Giving instructions."
Negative Forms of the Verb "Be"[edit | edit source]
To form negative sentences with the verb "be" in Georgian, you need to add the particle แแ (ar) before the verb, like "not" in English. Let's see the forms:
| Tense | Singular Form | Plural Form | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | แแ แแแ (ar var) | แแ แแแ แ (ar var't) | I am not / We are not |
| Past | แแ แแแงแ (ar viqo) | แแ แแแงแแ (ar viqot) | I was not / We were not |
| Future | แแ แแแฅแแแ (ar vik'nat) | แแ แแแฅแแแ (ar vik'nat) | I will not be / We will not be |
Here are some examples in context:
- Person 1: แแ แแแ แงแแแแแแฆแ แกแฎแแแแแกแฎแแ แแแแก. (Ar var qovel'de sxvadasxva amas.)
- Person 2: แแแช แแ แแแ . (Mec ar var.)
- Translation: Person 1: "I am not doing anything different every day." Person 2: "Me neither."
- Person 1: แแแแ แแกแแแจแ แ แแฆแแช แแฆแ แแ แแแงแ. (Depressiashii ra'ats' dae ar viqo.)
- Person 2: แจแแ แแ แฉแแแแ. (Shen ar ch'anta.)
- Translation: Person 1: "I didn't feel like myself for some days due to depression." Person 2: "You did not seem it."
Interesting Facts about the Georgian Language[edit | edit source]
Besides being a highly inflected language, Georgian is also unique in several other aspects.
- Georgian is one of the oldest living languages in the world, with evidence of its written form dating back to the 5th century.
- Georgian has its own unique script, which is one of the only 14 scripts worldwide that are still in use. The Georgian script has 33 letters and is written from left to right.
- Georgian is an agglutinative language, meaning that words are constructed by adding different morphemes together. This makes Georgian words often long and complex.
- Georgian is also known for its complex verb system with up to 14 tenses, while many European languages have only one or two tenses.
- Georgian grammar is relatively regular and logical, making it a fascinating language for linguists and language learners alike.
To improve your Georgian Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
โก If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
โก Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. ๐
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Missing vowels โแโ, โแโ, โแโ
- How to Use Have
- Adjectives
- Nouns
- Infection of noun endings on vowels
- Inflection of adjectives with nouns
- Cases of the subject and direct object with transitive verbs
- Toasting
- Using personal pronouns as the subject
- Adjectives Degrees
Sources[edit | edit source]